'Two roads diverged in a wood, and I -- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.' Robert Frost

Sunday, March 19, 2006

Ahhhh. That's me sighing a breath of relief. It seems my life has been slightly comparable to a rollercoaster as of late. A few weeks ago I was at the very, very top - everything seemed brilliant, my plans for the future were neatly ordered. And then it seemed to all come crumbling down around me. The airline ticket to Orlando was the first to fall. Then the lack of expected mail. Finally, the planned end of May departure for Korea was deflated by forces outside my control.

Of course, the indirect consequences of all these issues were just as significant. Particularly what to do with an airline credit that has to be used before one departs for her next adventure somewhere half way around the world? Oh, andwhat of the planned April 19th departure to Scotland?

So much to think about, way too much chocolate and candy consumed in reflection.

So there I was, with the wind knocked out of my sails, seemingly at the bottom of the rollercoaster, when I got the notion that I had a choice: I could continue agonizing over all the decisions that needed to be made and worry insufferably about the consequences of making a decision OR I could simply take control of all the things that were within my control and let the chips fall where they may.

Obviously, I saw the merit in the latter option. Then it was just a matter of taking control. Amazing how productive one can be when one puts one's mind to it! Here are the main things I've sorted out:

1. I am NOT staying on PEI for any length of time. I cannot accept any invitations of employment.

2. I miss Scotland dearly. I will return to the Bonnie Land at the end of May and spend 4 - 6 weeks travelling, enjoying Edinburgh and planning for my next adventure.

3. My next adventure will take place in Asia teaching English(probably Korea) or somewhere Down Under (probably Australia to begin with)

4. I am going to use my Continental credit to go to TWO states. First I will spend 10 days in Florida with Schemida. We will drink margaritas on the beach in Miami and then maybe visit a couple of theme parks in Orlando. Then I will make my way to the tourist mecca of Pittsburgh where I will explore the rich tapestry of this great American city and maybe crash at Emily's and have a few good nights out on the town with my fav American !

5. I am dedicating the next month to two things: writing loads of stuff and getting my body in bathing suit condition. I might also think about getting some paperwork and stuff done..like a criminal record check and medical exam. Oh and selling my car :)

My Journey

Food feeds the body, the mind and the soul. It connects everything and yet we are now completely disconnected from it. This, then, is my journey towards food connectedness, understanding interdependence and being independent of the dominant food system.